Wire straightening device

ABSTRACT

An object of the present invention is to straighten a wire such that twisting of the wire does not accumulate to prevent tangling of the wire when the wire is unwound from a bobbin installed in a horizontal state while gyrating. A roller supporting portion supports rotating shaft portions of a pair of rollers in a state in which a wire is sandwiched between the pair of rollers, which are rotated by following a movement of the wire, at an intermediate position that is midway in a transfer path of the wire, which is unwound from a bobbin while gyrating, and in a state in which rotation axes of the pair of rollers are kept at skew positions that are parallel with each other when viewed in a transfer direction of the wire at the intermediate position.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a wire straightening device forstraightening twisting in a wire that is unwound from a bobbin whilegyrating along the outer circumference of the bobbin.

BACKGROUND ART

In a process for manufacturing wire harnesses to be provided in vehiclessuch as automobiles, a wire length adjusting process for cutting a wireby a length in accordance with a required specification, that is, foradjusting the length of a wire to a necessary length is carried out. Inthe wire length adjusting process, a wire unwound from a bobbin aroundwhich the wire is wound is sequentially cut to a necessary length.

A bobbin around which a wire is wound sometimes called a “reel”. In thefollowing description, a wire that has been cut off in the wire lengthadjusting process, that is, a wire whose length is adjusted, is referredto as “length-adjusted wire”.

The wire wound around the bobbin is unwound from the bobbin in a statein which the wire is bent into a curved shape. In order to facilitatehandling of a length-adjusted wire cut off to a necessary length, it isrequired to straighten the lasting curved shape of the wire before thewire unwound from the bobbin is cut.

For example, Patent Document 1 describes a wire straightening device forstraightening the lasting curved shape of a wire unwound from a bobbin(reel). This wire straightening device includes a plurality of firststraightening rollers and a plurality of second straightening rollersthat are alternately arranged in the longitudinal direction of atransfer path of a wire. The first straightening rollers and the secondstraightening rollers cause the wire to meander, and thus the lastingcurved shape of the wire is straightened.

That is, the wire straightening device described in Patent Document 1 isan example of a wire bend straightening device for straightening a bendin a wire. In the apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the wire isunwound from a rotating reel.

CITATION LIST Patent Document

Patent Document 1: JP 2013-9047A

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem

In the wire length adjusting process, there are cases where a bobbinaround which a wire is wound is installed in a horizontal (laid-down)state, and the wire is unwound from the bobbin while gyrating along theouter circumference of the bobbin. In this case, a mechanism forrotatably supporting the bobbin is not needed, and thus an apparatus forthe wire length adjusting process is simplified.

When a wire is unwound from a bobbin while gyrating, the unwound wire isslightly twisted. Moreover, when a wire is continuously unwound from abobbin installed in a horizontal state and is continuously transferredwhile coming into contact with a guiding portion for guiding the wireincluding a rotating roller, a path narrowing portion, and the like, thetwisting of the wire accumulates at a portion of the transfer path of awire.

If the twisting of the wire accumulates at a portion of the transferpath of a wire, there are disadvantageous situations in which thelength-adjusted wires are twisted and a portion of the wire forms aring-shaped tangle, for example. The ring-shaped tangle of the wirecauses clogging of the guiding portion.

An object of the present invention is to straighten a wire such that thetwisting of the wire does not accumulate, thereby preventing thetangling of the wire (or kinks) when the wire is unwound from a bobbininstalled in a horizontal state while gyrating.

Solution to Problem

A wire straightening device according to a first aspect includes a pairof rollers and a roller supporting portion. Each of the pair of rollersis rotatably supported. The roller supporting portion supports rotatingshaft portions of the pair of rollers at an intermediate position thatis midway in a transfer path of a wire unwound from a bobbin aroundwhich the wire is wound while gyrating along an outer circumference ofthe bobbin. The roller supporting portion supports the rotating shaftportions of the pair of rollers in a state in which the wire issandwiched between the pair of rollers, which are rotated by following amovement of the wire, and in a state in which rotation axes of the pairof rollers are kept at skew positions that are in parallel with eachother when viewed in a transfer direction of the wire at theintermediate position.

A wire straightening device according to a second aspect is an aspect ofthe wire straightening device according to the first aspect. In the wirestraightening device according to the second aspect, the rollersupporting portion supports the rotating shaft portions in a state inwhich one of the rotation axes of the pair of rollers is kept inparallel with a line that is orthogonal to a transfer direction of thewire at the intermediate position.

A wire straightening device according to a third aspect is an aspect ofthe wire straightening device according to the first aspect or thesecond aspect. In the wire straightening device according to the thirdaspect, the roller supporting portion includes an elastic member formaintaining the pair of rollers by elastic force in a state in which thewire is sandwiched between the pair of rollers.

A wire straightening device according to a fourth aspect is an aspect ofthe wire straightening device according to any one of the first aspectto the third aspect. In the wire straightening device according to thefourth aspect, outer circumferential surfaces of the pair of rollers forcoming into contact with the wire are smooth circumferential surfaces.

Advantageous Effects of the Invention

In the above-mentioned aspects, the pair of rollers are rotatablysupported in a state in which the rotation axes thereof are kept at skewpositions. The wire unwound from the bobbin while gyrating is sandwichedby the pair of rollers midway in the transfer path, and the pair ofrollers are rotated by following the movement of the wire. Accordingly,it is found that the twisting of the wire can be straightened such thatthe twisting of the wire does not accumulate. As a result, it ispossible to prevent tangling the wire caused by the twisting of thewire.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a wire length adjustingapparatus including a wire twist straightening device 1 according to anembodiment.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the wire twist straightening device 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional plan view of the wire twist straighteningdevice 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional plan view of the wire twist straighteningdevice 1 in a state in which a pair of rollers are separated from eachother.

FIG. 5 is a first side view of the wire twist straightening device 1.

FIG. 6 is a second side view of the wire twist straightening device 1.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the side surfaces of the pair of rollers anda cross section of a path narrowing portion in the wire twiststraightening device 1.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be describedwith reference to the attached drawings. The following embodiment ismerely a specific example of the present invention, and is not torestrict the technical scope of the present invention.

Wire Length Adjusting Apparatus

First, a wire length adjusting apparatus 10 including a wire twiststraightening device 1 according to an embodiment will be described withreference to FIG. 1. The wire length adjusting apparatus 10 is anapparatus for sequentially cutting a wire 9 that is unwound from abobbin 90 around which the wire 9 is wound by a length in accordancewith a required specification.

As shown in FIG. 1, the wire length adjusting apparatus 10 includes thewire twist straightening device 1, a fixed pulley 5, a wire bendstraightening device 6, a wire transfer device 7, and a cutting machine8. The wire twist straightening device 1, the fixed pulley 5, the wirebend straightening device 6, the wire transfer device 7, and the cuttingmachine 8 are arranged at different positions midway in a transfer pathof the wire 9 unwound from the bobbin 90.

Furthermore, in the example shown in FIG. 1, the wire length adjustingapparatus 10 also includes a bobbin platform 91 and a bobbin cover 92.It should be noted that the bobbin cover 92 is shown in across-sectional view in FIG. 1.

Bobbin Platform

As shown in FIG. 1, the bobbin 90 around which the wire 9 is wound isinstalled at a predetermined position on the bobbin platform 91 or thelike in a horizontal state, for example. The wire 9 is unwound from thebobbin 90 while gyrating along the outer circumference of the bobbin 90.Therefore, the wire length adjusting apparatus 10 does not need toinclude an extensive mechanism for rotatably supporting the bobbin 90,and thus is a relatively simple device.

Bobbin Cover

The bobbin cover 92 is a hollow member for covering the bobbin 90installed in a horizontal state. The bobbin cover 92 is provided with anopening 920 through which the wire 9 unwound from the bobbin 90 passes.The bobbin cover 92 prevents objects around the bobbin 90 from beingcaught by the wire 9 unwound from the bobbin 90.

Outline of Wire Twist Straightening Device

The wire twist straightening device 1 is a device for straightening thetwisting of the wire 9, which is unwound from the bobbin 90 whilegyrating, such that the twisting of the wire 9 does not accumulate. Inthis embodiment, the wire twist straightening device 1 is arrangeddownstream from the position of the bobbin 90 and upstream of theposition of the fixed pulley 5 in the transfer path of the wire 9.

The wire twist straightening device 1 is an example of a wirestraightening device including a pair of rollers 21 and 22 and a rollersupporting portion 3. The wire twist straightening device 1 will bedescribed in detail later.

Fixed Pulley

The fixed pulley 5 is a pulley for switching a transfer direction of thewire 9, which is unwound from the bobbin 90 and transferred in a firsttransfer direction R11, to a second transfer direction R12. In thisembodiment, the fixed pulley 5 is arranged downstream from the positionof the wire twist straightening device 1 and upstream of the position ofthe wire bend straightening device 6 in the transfer path of the wire 9.

In this embodiment, the first transfer direction R11 is substantially avertically upward direction, and the second transfer direction R12 issubstantially a horizontal direction.

Wire Bend Straightening Device

The wire bend straightening device 6 is a device for straightening thebending in the wire 9. In this embodiment, the wire bend straighteningdevice 6 is arranged downstream from the position of the bobbin 90 andupstream of the position of the fixed pulley 5 in the transfer path ofthe wire 9.

The wire bend straightening device 6 includes a first bend straighteningportion 61 and a second bend straightening portion 62 that include thesame components. The first bend straightening portion 61 and the secondbend straightening portion 62 are arranged in a state in which theirorientations with respect to the circumferential direction are tiltedwith respect to each other by 90 degrees around the transfer directionof the wire 9. Accordingly, the first bend straightening portion 61 andthe second bend straightening portion 62 straighten the bends of thewire 9 in two transverse directions that are orthogonal to each other.

The first bend straightening portion 61 and the second bendstraightening portion 62 each include a path narrowing portion 63, aplurality of first straightening rollers 64, and a plurality of secondstraightening rollers 65.

The path narrowing portion 63 is a member provided with a wire pathwhose width is gradually reduced toward an exit side from an entranceside. The path narrowing portion 63 guides the wire 9 transferred viathe fixed pulley 5 to a path extending toward the first straighteningroller 64 at the first position.

The first straightening rollers 64 and the second straightening rollers65 are alternately arranged along the transfer path of the wire 9, andcause the wire 9 to meander along the outer circumferential surfaces ofthe rollers. Thus, the bends of the wire 9 are straightened.

Wire Transfer Device

The wire transfer device 7 is a device for bringing the wire 9 from theprevious process side and feeding the wire 9 to the subsequent processside in the transfer path. Each time the cutting machine 8 on thesubsequent process side cuts the wire 9, the wire transfer device 7transfers the wire 9 having a length in accordance with a requiredspecification to the subsequent process side.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, the wire transfer device 7 includes apath narrowing portion 71, a pair of endless belts 72 that are arrangedso as to be opposed to each other, a pair of driving rollers 73, and aplurality of driven rollers 74.

The path narrowing portion 71 is a member similar to the path narrowingportion 63, and guides the wire 9 transferred via the wire bendstraightening device 6 to between the pair of endless belts 72.

The pair of endless belts 72 are arranged on both sides of the transferpath of the wire 9, and are rotated in a state in which the wire 9 issandwiched therebetween. Accordingly, the pair of endless belts 72 bringthe wire 9 from the previous process side and feed the wire 9 to thesubsequent process side. The endless belts 72 are members having a largefrictional resistance, such as rubber members.

The pair of driving rollers 73 rotate the pair of endless belts 72, andmaintain portions of the pair of endless belts 72 in a state in whichthe wire 9 is sandwiched therebetween. The driven rollers 74 maintainthe portions of the pair of endless belts 72 in a state in which thewire 9 is sandwiched therebetween.

Cutting Machine

The cutting machine 8 is a mechanism for cutting the wire 9 in thetransfer path of the wire 9. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the cuttingmachine 8 includes a path narrowing portion 81, a wire supportingportion 82, a cutter 83, and a cutter driving portion 84.

The path narrowing portion 81 is a member similar to the path narrowingportion 63, and guides the wire 9 fed from the wire transfer device 7 toa position along the wire supporting portion 82.

The wire supporting portion 82 supports a part of the wire 9 to be cutfrom the side. The cutter 83 is driven by the cutter driving portion 84,and thus cuts the part of the wire 9 supported by the wire supportingportion 82. The cutter driving portion 84 displaces the cutter 83between a cutting position at which the cutter 83 comes into contactwith the wire 9 and a waiting position that is separated from the wire9.

A length-adjusted wire processing apparatus 100 for processing the wire9 cut off by the wire length adjusting apparatus 10 is arranged at aposition for a process subsequent to the process performed by the wirelength adjusting apparatus 10. The length-adjusted wire processingapparatus 100 is a crimping apparatus for crimping crimp terminals toboth ends of the cut-out wire 9, for example.

Details of Wire Twist Straightening Device

Next, the wire twist straightening device 1 will be specificallydescribed with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7. FIG. 2 is a front view of thewire twist straightening device 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional plan viewof the wire twist straightening device 1 showing a cut through planeII-II shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional plan view of the wiretwist straightening device 1 in a state in which the pair of rollers 21and 22 are separated from each other. FIG. 5 is a first side view of thewire twist straightening device 1. FIG. 6 is a second side view of thewire twist straightening device 1. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the sidesurfaces of the pair of rollers 21 and 22 and a cross section of a pathnarrowing portion 300 in the wire twist straightening device 1. Itshould be noted that the path narrowing portion 300 is a part of thewire twist straightening device 1.

As described above, the wire twist straightening device 1 includes thepair of rollers 21 and 22, and the roller supporting portion 3.Furthermore, the wire twist straightening device 1 also includes thepath narrowing portion 300.

The pair of rollers 21 and 22 constitute a roller pair for straighteningthe wire 9 such that the twisting of the wire 9 does not accumulate. Thepair of rollers 21 and 22 include a first roller 21 and a second roller22.

The path narrowing portion 300 is a member that is similar to the pathnarrowing portion 63 and is provided with a wire path 3001 whose widthis gradually reduced toward an exit side from an entrance side. The pathnarrowing portion 300 guides the gyrating wire 9 that has been unwoundfrom the bobbin 90 to an intermediate position P0 that is midway in thetransfer path of the wire 9.

Pair of Rollers

The pair of rollers 21 and 22 are rotatably supported by the rotatingshaft portions 210 and 220, respectively, in a state in which therollers 21 and 22 are opposed to each other at the intermediate positionP0 midway in the transfer path of the wire 9. In the followingdescription, the rotating shaft of the first roller 21 is referred to as“first rotating shaft portion 210”, and the rotating shaft of the secondroller 22 is referred to as “second rotating shaft portion 220”.

Furthermore, the pair of rollers 21 and 22 are supported by the rollersupporting portion 3 at positions at which a portion of the wire 9located at the intermediate position P0 is sandwiched from both itssides between the rollers 21 and 22. Therefore, the pair of rollers 21and 22 are rotated by following the movement of the wire 9 during thetransfer.

In this embodiment, the outer circumferential surfaces of the pair ofrollers 21 and 22 that come into contact with the wire 9 are smoothcircumferential surfaces. The outer circumferential surfaces of the pairof rollers 21 and 22 are metal surfaces including a metal material suchas iron, stainless steel, and aluminum, for example.

In the following description, the rotation center of the first roller 21is referred to as “first rotation axis 201”, and the rotation center ofthe second roller 22 is referred to as “second rotation axis 202”.

In this embodiment, the bobbin 90 is installed on the bobbin platform 91such that a center line 900 of the bobbin 90 approximately coincideswith the transfer path of the wire 9 at the intermediate position P0.

Roller Supporting Portion

The roller supporting portion 3 is a mechanism for supporting therotating shaft portions 210 and 220 of the pair of rollers 21 and 22.The roller supporting portion 3 supports the first rotating shaftportion 210 and the second rotating shaft portion 220 in a state inwhich the wire 9 is sandwiched between the pair of rollers 21 and 22,which are rotated by following the movement of the wire 9.

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the roller supporting portion 3supports the first rotating shaft portion 210 and the second rotatingshaft portion 220 in a state in which the first rotation axis 201 andthe second rotation axis 202 are kept at skew positions that areparallel with each other when viewed in the direction (first transferdirection R11) along the transfer path at the intermediate position P0.

FIG. 3 shows that the first rotation axis 201 and the second rotationaxis 202 are parallel with each other when viewed in the first transferdirection R11, which is a transfer direction at the intermediateposition P0. Furthermore, FIGS. 5 and 7 show that the first rotationaxis 201 and the second rotation axis 202 have a skew positionalrelationship in which the skew angle is θ.

In the following description, a straight line that is orthogonal to thefirst transfer direction R11 at the intermediate position P0 and that isparallel with the first rotation axis 201 and the second rotation axis202 when viewed in the first transfer direction R11 is referred to as“intermediate position orthogonal line 901”.

Next, the roller supporting portion 3 will be specifically described. Inthis embodiment, the roller supporting portion 3 includes a fixedsupport 30, a first roller supporting portion 31, and a second rollersupporting portion 32.

Roller Supporting Portion: Fixed Supporting Portion

The fixed support 30 includes a first fixed supporting portion 301 forsupporting the first roller supporting portion 31 and a second fixedsupporting portion 302 for supporting the second roller supportingportion 32.

Roller Supporting Portion: First Roller Supporting Portion

The first roller supporting portion 31 includes a first rotating shaftsupporting portion 311 for supporting the first rotating shaft portion210, and a first coupling portion 312 for coupling the first rotatingshaft supporting portion 311 to the first fixed supporting portion 301.

More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5, the first couplingportion 312 includes a first rotary coupling portion 3121 and a firstfixing screw 3122. The first rotary coupling portion 3121 couples thefirst rotating shaft supporting portion 311 to the first fixedsupporting portion 301 in a state in which the skew angle of the firstrotation axis 201 with respect to the intermediate position orthogonalline 901 can be changed.

In this embodiment, the first rotary coupling portion 3121 couples thefirst rotating shaft supporting portion 311 to the first fixedsupporting portion 301 in a state in which the first rotating shaftsupporting portion 311 can be rotated around the direction in which thepair of rollers 21 and 22 are opposed to each other. The first rotatingshaft supporting portion 311 and the first roller 21 are rotatedtogether with the rotation of the first rotary coupling portion 3121.

The first fixing screw 3122 fixes the first rotating shaft supportingportion 311 to the first fixed supporting portion 301, and thus keepsthe skew angle of the first rotation axis 201 with respect to theintermediate position orthogonal line 901 at a desired angle. Therefore,as shown in FIG. 5, the first fixed supporting portion 301 has a firstelongated hole portion 3010 that is a portion provided with anarc-shaped elongated hole through which the shaft portion of the firstfixing screw 3122 passes.

Roller Supporting Portion: Second Roller Supporting Portion

On the other hand, the second roller supporting portion 32 includes asecond rotating shaft supporting portion 321 for supporting the secondrotating shaft portion 220 of the second roller 22, and a secondcoupling portion 322 for coupling the second rotating shaft supportingportion 321 to the second fixed supporting portion 302 while applying tothe second rotating shaft supporting portion 321 an elastic force towardthe first roller 21 side.

More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 6, the second couplingportion 322 includes a second rotary coupling portion 3221, a rotaryinterlocked portion 3222, a handle portion 3223, and a second fixingscrew 3224. The second rotary coupling portion 3221 couples the secondrotating shaft supporting portion 321 to the second fixed supportingportion 302 in a state in which the skew angle of the second rotationaxis 202 with respect to the intermediate position orthogonal line 901can be changed.

In this embodiment, the second rotary coupling portion 3221 couples thesecond rotating shaft supporting portion 321 to the second fixedsupporting portion 302 in a state in which the second rotating shaftsupporting portion 321 can be rotated around the direction in which thepair of rollers 21 and 22 are opposed to each other and displaced in thedirection in which the pair of rollers 21 and 22 ate opposed to eachother.

The second rotating shaft supporting portion 321 and the second roller22 are rotated together with the rotation of the second rotary couplingportion 3221, and displaced together with the displacement of the secondrotary coupling portion 3221.

The rotary interlocked portion 3222 is a portion that is rotatedtogether with the rotation of the second rotary coupling portion 3221.However, the rotary interlocked portion 3222 Is not displaced togetherwith the displacement of the second rotary coupling portion 3221 in thedirection in which the pair of rollers 21 and 22 are opposed to eachother.

The handle portion 3223 is fixed to a portion of the second rotarycoupling portion 3221 that is on a side opposite to the portion coupledto the second rotating shaft supporting portion 321. Accordingly, thesecond rotating shaft supporting portion 321 and the second roller 22are rotated together with the rotation of the handle portion 3223, anddisplaced together with the displacement of the handle portion 3223.

The second fixing screw 3224 fixes the rotary interlocked portion 3222to the second fixed supporting portion 302, and thus keeps the skewangle of the second rotation axis 202 with respect to the intermediateposition orthogonal line 901 at a desired angle. Therefore, as shown inFIG. 6, the second fixed supporting portion 302 has a second elongatedhole portion 3020 that is a portion provided with an arc-shapedelongated hole through which the shaft portion of the second fixingscrew 3224 passes.

For example, the first roller supporting portion 31 maintains a state inwhich the skew angle of the first rotation axis 201 with respect to theintermediate position orthogonal line 901 is 0 degree, that is, a statein which the first rotation axis 201 and the intermediate positionorthogonal line 901 are parallel with each other. In this case, thesecond roller supporting portion 32 maintains a state in which the skewangle of the second rotation axis 202 with respect to the intermediateposition orthogonal line 901 is an acute angle θ.

In the case of the above-mentioned example, as shown in FIG. 7, a stateis maintained in which the first rotation axis 201 and the secondrotation axis 202 are parallel with each other as viewed in the firsttransfer direction R11 at the intermediate position P0 and are locatedat skew positions that form a skew angle of an acute angle θ.

Furthermore, the second coupling portion 322 includes elastic members33. The elastic members 33 are springs, for example. The elastic members33 may also be rubber members.

The elastic members 33 apply to the second rotating shaft supportingportion 321 an elastic force toward the first roller 21 side, and thusmaintains the pair of rollers 21 and 22 in a state in which the wire 9is sandwiched therebetween. In this embodiment, the elastic members 33are linked to the rotary interlocked portion 3222 and the handle portion3223. In this case, the elastic members 33 apply elastic force to thesecond rotating shaft supporting portion 321 via the handle portion 3223and the second rotary coupling portion 3221.

Therefore, when the handle portion 3223 is operated with force againstthe elastic force applied to the handle portion 3223 by the elasticmember 33, the second roller 22, the second rotating shaft supportingportion 321, and the second rotary coupling portion 3221 are displacedaway from the first roller 21. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 4, the pairof rollers 21 and 22 can be separated from each other from the state inwhich the wire 9 is sandwiched therebetween.

Effects

In the wire twist straightening device 1, the pair of rollers 21 and 22are rotatably supported in a state in which their rotation axes are keptat skew positions. The wire 9 unwound from the bobbin 90 while gyratingis sandwiched between the pair of rollers 21 and 22 midway in thetransfer path, and the pair of rollers 21 and 22 are rotated byfollowing the movement of the wire. It is found that adopting this wiretwist straightening device 1 makes it possible to straighten thetwisting of the wire 9 such that the twisting of the wire 9 does notaccumulate. As a result, tangling of the wire 9 caused by the twistingof the wire 9 can be prevented, and in turn, clogging of the pathnarrowing portion and the roller caused by the tangled wire 9 can beprevented.

Example of Positional Relationship between Rotation Axes of Pair ofRollers

Next, an effective example of the positional relationship between therotation axes of the pair of rollers 21 and 22 based on the results ofan experiment performed using the wire twist straightening device 1 willbe described with reference to FIG. 7. The example described below is anexample of the positional relationship between the rotation axes of thepair of rollers 21 and 22 that can provide an effect of straighteningthe wire 9 such that the twisting of the wire 9 does not accumulate.

In the following description, the gyrating direction of the wire 9 whenviewed in the direction in which the wire 9 is unwound from the bobbin90 is referred to as “wire gyrating direction R01”.

As described above, the first rotation axis 201 and the second rotationaxis 202 are kept at skew positions that are parallel with each otherwhen viewed in the transfer direction (first transfer direction R11) ofthe wire 9 at the intermediate position P0.

For example, if the wire gyrating direction R01 is a right-handeddirection (clockwise direction), the rotation axes of the pair ofrollers 21 and 22 may be kept as follows. That is, the rotation axis ofat least one roller of the pair of rollers 21 and 22 may be maintainedin a state in which that rotation axis forms an acute angle θ in theright-handed direction (clockwise direction) with respect to theintermediate position orthogonal line 901 when viewed from the side onwhich the roller is opposed to the wire 9. Accordingly, the accumulationof the twisting of the wire 9 can be prevented.

It should be noted that the “side on which the roller is opposed to thewire 9” can also be expressed by another expression such as “side onwhich the roller is in contact with the wire 9” and “side on which theroller is located with respect to the wire 9”.

That is, if the rotation axis (201 or 202) of at least one roller of thepair of rollers 21 and 22 is maintained in a state in which thatrotation axis forms an acute angle θ in the same rotation direction asthe wire gyrating direction R01 with respect to the intermediateposition orthogonal line 901 when viewed from the side on which theroller is opposed to the wire 9, the accumulation of the twisting of thewire 9 can be prevented.

The example shown in FIG. 7 is an example in which the wire gyratingdirection R01 is a right-handed direction. In the example shown in FIG.7, the first rotation axis 201 is kept in parallel with the intermediateposition orthogonal line 901, and the second rotation axis 202 ismaintained in a state in which the second rotation axis 202 forms anacute angle θ in the right-handed direction, which is the same as thewire gyrating direction R01, with respect to the intermediate positionorthogonal line 901 when viewed from the side on which the second roller22 is opposed to the wire 9. The acute angle θ is set in a range ofabout 2 degrees to about 10 degrees depending on the type of wire 9, forexample.

Application Examples

In the wire twist straightening device 1, both the first rotation axis201 and the second rotation axis 202 may also be maintained in a statein which the rotation axes form an acute angle θ in the same rotationdirection as the wire gyrating direction R01 with respect to theintermediate position orthogonal line 901 when viewed from the side onwhich the corresponding roller (21 or 22) is opposed to the wire 9.

For example, if the wire gyrating direction R01 is a right-handeddirection, the rotation axes of the pair of rollers 21 and 22 may bekept as follows. That is, the first rotation axis 201 is maintained in astate in which the rotation axis 201 forms an acute angle θ/2 in theright-handed direction with respect to the intermediate positionorthogonal line 901 when viewed from the side on which the first roller21 is opposed to the wire 9. Furthermore, the second rotation axis 202is maintained in a state in which the rotation axis 202 forms an acuteangle θ/2 in the right-handed direction with respect to the intermediateposition orthogonal line 901 when viewed from the side on which thesecond roller 22 is opposed to the wire 9.

It should be noted that the wire straightening device according to thepresent invention can be configured by freely combining theabove-described embodiment and application examples, or modifying theembodiment and application examples or omitting a portion thereof asappropriate, within the scope of the present invention described inclaims.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

1 Wire twist straightening device (wire straightening device)

10 Wire length adjusting apparatus

100 Length-adjusted wire processing device

201 First rotation axis (rotation axis of first roller)

202 Second rotation axis (rotation axis of second roller)

21 First roller (one of pair of rollers)

210 First rotating shaft portion (rotating shaft portion of firstroller)

22 Second roller (the other of pair of rollers)

220 Second rotating shaft portion (rotating shaft portion of secondroller)

3 Roller supporting portion

30 Fixed support

300 Path narrowing portion

3001 Wire path

301 First fixed supporting portion

3010 First elongated hole portion

302 Second fixed supporting portion

3020 Second elongated hole portion

31 First roller supporting portion

311 First rotating shaft supporting portion

312 First coupling portion

3121 First rotary coupling portion

3122 First fixing screw

32 Second roller supporting portion

321 Second rotating shaft supporting portion

322 Second coupling portion

3221 Second rotary coupling portion

3222 Rotary interlocked portion

3223 Handle portion

3224 Second fixing screw

33 Elastic member

5 Fixed pulley

6 Wire bend straightening device

61 First bend straightening portion

62 Second bend straightening portion

63 Path narrowing portion

64 First straightening roller

65 Second straightening roller

7 Wire transfer device

71 Path narrowing portion

72 Endless belt

73 Driving roller

74 Driven roller

8 Cutting machine

81 Path narrowing portion

82 Wire supporting portion

83 Cutter

84 Cutter driving portion

9 Wire

90 Bobbin

900 Center line of bobbin

901 Intermediate position orthogonal line

91 Bobbin platform

92 Bobbin cover

920 Opening of bobbin cover

P0 Intermediate position

R01 Wire gyrating direction

R11 First transfer direction

R12 Second transfer direction

1. A wire straightening device comprising: a pair of rollers that areeach rotatably supported; and a roller supporting portion for supportingrotating shaft portions of the pair of rollers in a condition in which awire is sandwiched between the pair of rollers, which are rotated byfollowing a movement of the wire, at an intermediate position that ismidway in a transfer path of the wire, which is unwound from a bobbinaround which the wire is wound while gyrating along an outercircumference of the bobbin, and in a condition in which rotation axesof the pair of rollers are kept at skew positions that are parallel witheach other when viewed in a transfer direction of the wire at theintermediate position,, wherein, when a wire gyrating direction isdefined as a gyrating direction of the wire when viewed in a directionin which the wire is unwound from the bobbin, the roller supportingportion supports the rotating shaft portions in a condition in which therotation axis of at least one of the pair of rollers forms an acuteangle in the same rotation direction as the wire gyrating direction withrespect to a line that is orthogonal to the transfer direction of thewire at the intermediate position when viewed from a side on which theroller is opposed to the wire at the intermediate position.
 2. The wirestraightening device according to claim 1, wherein the roller supportingportion supports the rotating shaft portions in a condition in which oneof the rotation axes of the pair of rollers is kept in parallel with aline that is orthogonal to a transfer direction of the wire at theintermediate position.
 3. The wire straightening device according toclaim 1, wherein the roller supporting portion includes an elasticmember for maintaining the pair of rollers by elastic force in acondition in which the wire is sandwiched between the pair of rollers.4. The wire straightening device according to claim 1, wherein outercircumferential surfaces of the pair of rollers for coming into contactwith the wire are smooth circumferential surfaces.
 5. The wirestraightening device according to claim 2, wherein the roller supportingportion includes an elastic member for maintaining the pair of rollersby elastic force in a condition in which the wire is sandwiched betweenthe pair of rollers.
 6. The wire straightening device according to claim2, wherein outer circumferential surfaces of the pair of rollers forcoming into contact with the wire are smooth circumferential surfaces.7. The wire straightening device according to claim 3, wherein outercircumferential surfaces of the pair of rollers for coming into contactwith the wire are smooth circumferential surfaces.
 8. The wirestraightening device according to claim 5, wherein outer circumferentialsurfaces of the pair of rollers for coming into contact with the wireare smooth circumferential surfaces.